Making the College Decision

Other than how to pay, one of the key questions that any parent and student can have is how to make a final decision among several colleges or universities.

There are many resources such as books, directories and on the Internet that can help. First, you should start with making a list of items that  are most important to you in choosing a college.

For example:

• amount of financial aid and scholarships awarded by the college
• campus size and location
• class size
• major and disciplines offered.

To help you in determining your priorities when it comes to choosing a college, you may want to read the section titled "Selecting a College that Suits Your Needs" in Chapter 6 of Winning Scholarships for College. Then you can use the following web sites to search college databases based on your priorities and the characteristics you select.

College MatchMaker (from the College Board)

College Search-Custom (from CollegeNET)

Resource Center

Scholarship Toolbox College Toolbox